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THE APODOSIS OF THE DORMITION-RETURN OF THE ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

On Thursday morning, August 23/ September 5, 2019, the Patriarchate celebrated the Apodosis of the Feast of the Dormition, namely the completion of nine days after the actual Feast (August 15/28) and at the same time the return of the icon of the Dormition from Theotokos’ Tomb to the Metochion-chapel of Gethsemane, opposite the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

For this feast the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the morning of this day at Theotokos’ Tomb in Gethsemane led by the Master of Ceremonies Archimandrite Bartholomew.

After the Divine Liturgy the Procession with the icon of the Dormition began, as the icon was carried by the Most Reverend Archbishop Dorotheos of Avela. Priests in their liturgical vestments, monks and nuns led the Procession with the laity following, chanting the hymns of the Dormition.

The Procession marched via the Monasteries of St. Stephen, of the Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, Praitorion, St. Charalambos, Panagia Sayda Naya, while many faithful were venerating in reverence the icon of the Mother of God on either side of the decorated with flowers road.

At the crossing of the Patriarchate with the Christian Road there was a stop with a special prayer, where H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and the Hagiotaphite Fathers venerated the icon.

The Procession carried on through the Christian Road and reached the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where there was a prayer and finally the icon was returned to its place in the Metochion of Gethsemane until next year.

From Secretariat-General